Lead Enterprise Architect - Defence & Aerospace/SC cleared
Posted 5 days ago by Synergize Consulting Ltd
£105 Per hour
Outside
Hybrid
Reading, Berkshire, UK
Summary: The Lead Enterprise Architect role in Defence & Aerospace focuses on shaping complex, secure systems while driving innovation and architectural excellence across various programmes. This senior leadership position requires influencing senior stakeholders and aligning enterprise architecture with business strategy. The role involves technical leadership across multiple domains, including cloud, infrastructure, and security. The successful candidate will mentor architects and represent the organization at high-level forums.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead the development, governance, and evolution of enterprise architecture across complex programmes
- Define architecture principles, standards, and frameworks aligned with strategic objectives
- Shape and deliver the architecture strategy for key business areas
- Provide technical leadership across cloud, infrastructure, data, applications, and security
- Chair Product Design Reviews, ensuring solutions align with long-term vision
- Drive innovation, research, and capability development to advance architectural maturity
- Represent the organisation at senior customer boards, government forums, and industry events
- Mentor and develop architects, building a high-performing architecture community
- Champion best practices, reuse, and secure-by-design principles across programmes
Key Skills:
- Active SC Clearance
- Strong background in Defence/MOD/Aerospace environments
- Proven experience as an Enterprise Architecture leader across large-scale, multi-domain programmes
- Expertise in architecture frameworks (TOGAF, MODAF, NAF, ArchiMate)
- Hands-on experience building model-driven enterprise architecture (EA) repositories
- Deep understanding of secure-by-design principles and cyber security frameworks
- Ability to influence senior stakeholders and shape strategic direction
- Experience leading architecture governance and design assurance
- Architectural generalist across business, data, application, technology, cloud, and security domains
- Strong leadership and stakeholder engagement skills at executive and government level
- Proven ability to drive innovation and enterprise-wide transformation
- Experience mentoring and developing architecture capability within organisations
Salary (Rate): £105 PER HOUR
City: Reading
Country: UK
Working Arrangements: hybrid
IR35 Status: outside IR35
Seniority Level: Senior
Industry: IT
Detailed Description From Employer:
Lead Enterprise Architect - Defence & Aerospace
Are you a strategic thinker with a passion for shaping complex, secure systems at scale? This is a rare opportunity to step into a high-impact Lead Enterprise Architect role, driving innovation and architectural excellence across cutting-edge defence and aerospace programmes.
You'll operate at the forefront of national security and advanced technology-guiding enterprise-wide architecture, influencing senior stakeholders, and shaping the future of mission-critical systems.
The Opportunity
As a Lead Enterprise Architect, you will take ownership of enterprise architecture across multiple programmes and domains, ensuring alignment between business strategy and technology execution.
This is a senior leadership role where your voice will shape decisions at the highest levels-across engineering, government, and industry.
What You'll Be Doing
- Lead the development, governance, and evolution of enterprise architecture across complex programmes
- Define architecture principles, standards, and frameworks aligned with strategic objectives
- Shape and deliver the architecture strategy for key business areas
- Provide technical leadership across cloud, infrastructure, data, applications, and security
- Chair Product Design Reviews, ensuring solutions align with long-term vision
- Drive innovation, research, and capability development to advance architectural maturity
- Represent the organisation at senior customer boards, government forums, and industry events
- Mentor and develop architects, building a high-performing architecture community
- Champion best practices, reuse, and secure-by-design principles across programmes
What You'll Bring
You're an experienced and influential architect who thrives in complex, secure environments.
Essential Experience
- Active SC Clearance
- Strong background in Defence/MOD/Aerospace environments
- Proven experience as an Enterprise Architecture leader across large-scale, multi-domain programmes
- Expertise in architecture frameworks (TOGAF, MODAF, NAF, ArchiMate)
- Hands-on experience building model-driven enterprise architecture (EA) repositories
- Deep understanding of secure-by-design principles and cyber security frameworks
- Ability to influence senior stakeholders and shape strategic direction
- Experience leading architecture governance and design assurance
Core Strengths
- Architectural generalist across business, data, application, technology, cloud, and security domains
- Strong leadership and stakeholder engagement skills at executive and government level
- Proven ability to drive innovation and enterprise-wide transformation
- Experience mentoring and developing architecture capability within organisations
Desirable (Not Essential)
- Chartered Engineer (or equivalent)
- Certifications such as TOGAF, ArchiMate, AWS/Azure Architect, CISSP
- Experience contributing to industry standards or thought leadership
- Exposure to international or transnational programmes
- Familiarity with SFIA Level 7/DDaT Enterprise Architect frameworks
Why This Role?
- Work on nationally significant programmes at the cutting edge of defence technology
- Influence strategy at the highest levels of business and government
- Be part of a forward-thinking architecture community driving real change
- Enjoy flexible, hybrid working with a Reading base
- Opportunity to leave a lasting impact on enterprise-scale systems and capabilities
If you're ready to lead, influence, and architect the future-this is your opportunity.